The present invention relates generally to bulk material cargo containers within which fluid-like or flowable cargo materials, such as, for example, dry bulk chemicals, powdered, flaked, and pelletized resins, flour, coffee beans, grain, and the like, are normally housed or contained while being shipped or transported, and more particularly to a new and improved bulk material cargo container liner system, for use in conjunction with such bulk material cargo containers, wherein the new and improved bulk material cargo container liner system not only enables or facilitates the discharge of the bulk material cargo load from the bulk material cargo container in accordance with operational techniques which do not require the bulk material cargo container to be moved into a tilted mode, as is normally performed or conducted in accordance with conventional or PRIOR ART bulk material cargo load discharge techniques, but in addition, the new and improved bulk material cargo container liner system, and the discharge structure thereof, enables the bulk material cargo container to be utilized as a bulk material storage bin or silo.
Bulk material cargo containers are conventionally used, at different times, to house or contain different fluid-like or flowable cargo materials, such as, for example, dry bulk chemicals, powdered, flaked, and pelletized resins, flour, coffee beans, grains, rice, sugar, and the like, while the cargo materials are being shipped or transported from one location to another by means of, for example, ship, truck, railroad, and the like. Since different bulk materials are shipped or transported within particular bulk material cargo containers at different times, it is imperative that the bulk material cargo containers effectively be clean so as not to contaminate the materials comprising a particular bulk material cargo load with residual materials which may remain within the bulk material cargo container from a previously shipped or transported bulk material cargo load. Accordingly, in order to eliminate the normally necessary cleaning of each bulk material cargo container hold after a particular bulk material cargo load has been unloaded or discharged from a particular one of the bulk material cargo container holds, it has become conventional within the industry to employ removable bulk material cargo container liners within the cargo holds of the bulk material cargo containers wherein, after a particular bulk material cargo load has been delivered to its destination and discharged or unloaded, the bulk material cargo container liner is simply removed from the bulk material cargo container whereby the bulk material cargo container is again useable, without a significant amount of cleaning, for carrying another bulk material cargo load typically comprising fluid or flowable material. Examples of bulk material cargo container liners as used within bulk material cargo containers for shipping or transporting fluid or flowable materials may be found within U.S. Pat. No. 5,489,037 which issued on Feb. 6, 1996 to Stopper, U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,710 which issued on Mar. 16, 1993 to Podd, Sr. et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,722 which issued on Dec. 5, 1989 to Podd.
As is also well-known in the industry, different bulk cargo load materials exhibit different flowability characteristics, and conventionally, the most common manner in which such flowability is effectively induced within or with respect to the different bulk cargo load materials is to cause the bulk cargo container to undergo a tilting operation. More particularly, when a particular bulk cargo container, carrying a particular bulk cargo load material, undergoes a predetermined amount or degree of tilt, the particular bulk cargo load material will begin to flow under the influence of gravity and may accordingly be conducted toward a discharge port operatively associated with the bulk cargo container whereby the bulk cargo load material can be discharged from the bulk cargo container. Normally, in order to comprise economically viable bulk material cargo transportation, delivery, and distribution systems, the systems comprise an operative integration of bulk material cargo container transportation facilities, such as, for example, rail hopper cars or a fleet of bulk material cargo container tractor-trailer trucks, sea-going bulk material cargo container ships, and the like; bulk material cargo container tilt apparatus conveniently or viably positioned at predetermined locations adjacent to or near the bulk material cargo container transportation facilities for operatively handling the aforenoted rail-hopper cars, tractor-trailer trucks, and ship containers in order to discharge or unload the bulk material cargo loads carried thereby; and silo or other similar bulk material storage facilities also conveniently or viably positioned at predetermined locations with respect to the aforenoted transportation and handling facilities so as to be capable of storing the unloaded bulk material cargo loads in preparation for, or in conjunction with, the distribution of such bulk material to end user customers.
Unfortunately, as may be readily appreciated, the construction and operation of such an integrated transportation, handling, and distribution system is relatively expensive whereby it is only economically viable for such integrated transportation, delivery, and distribution systems to be constructed and operated by relatively large-sized companies located primarily within the highly-industrialized nations. Accordingly, relatively medium-sized and small-sized companies are not able to viably compete economically with such relatively large-sized companies in view of the fact that such medium-sized and small-sized do not have access to, or the economic resources to construct and operate, the aforenoted integrated bulk material cargo container transportation and handling facilities, or the bulk material storage and distribution facilities. At best, if such relatively medium-sized and small-sized companies nevertheless desire to engage in bulk material cargo load transportation, handling, and distribution businesses, and try to be competitive with the relatively large-sized companies, they are often forced to lease necessary services or facilities from the relatively large-sized companies which, again, is not economically advantageous. However, if a bulk material cargo container system could be developed wherein tilt-type handling apparatus was no longer necessary for discharging or unloading the bulk material cargo load from the bulk material cargo containers, or in addition, if a system could likewise be developed wherein auxiliary silo-type storage facilities were likewise no longer necessary for storing and distributing bulk material cargo loads from bulk material cargo containers, then the relatively medium-sized and small-sized companies could enjoy the ecomonic advantages to be derived from bulk material cargo load transportion, handling, and distribution systems whereby the relatively medium-sized and small-sized companies can in fact viably compete economically with the relatively large-sized companies.
A need therefore exists in the art for a new improved a bulk material cargo container system wherein tilt-type handling apparatus is no longer necessary for discharging or unloading the bulk material cargo load from the bulk material cargo containers, and in addition, a new and improved bulk material cargo container system wherein auxiliary silo-type storage facilities is likewise no longer necessary for storing and distributing bulk material cargo loads from bulk material cargo containers, whereby relatively medium-sized and small-sized companies can enjoy the ecomonic advantages to be derived from bulk material cargo load transportion, handling, and distribution systems such that the relatively medium-sized and small-sized companies can in fact viably compete economically with the relatively large-sized companies.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved bulk material cargo container system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved bulk material cargo container system which effectively overcomes the various operational disadvantages characteristic of PRIOR ART bulk material cargo container systems.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved bulk material cargo container system which comprises a unique and novel bulk material cargo container inflatable liner system which, in turn, comprises a plurality of inflatable air bags integrally incorporated therein, whereby when such inflatable air bags are inflated in accordance with a unique and novel method characteristic of the present invention, the bulk material cargo load disposed within the bulk material cargo container can be discharged and unloaded from the bulk material cargo container without requiring the tilting of the bulk material cargo container as is characteristic of PRIOR ART bulk material cargo container unloading techniques or procedures.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved bulk material cargo container system which comprises a unique and novel bulk material cargo container inflatable liner system which, in turn, comprises a plurality of inflatable air bags integrally incorporated therein, whereby when such inflatable air bags are inflated in accordance with a unique and novel method characteristic of the present invention, the bulk material cargo load disposed within the bulk material cargo container can be discharged and unloaded from the bulk material cargo container without requiring the tilting of the bulk material cargo container, and in addition, the bulk material cargo load can be stored within the bulk material cargo container which will serve as a bulk material storage silo.
A last object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved bulk material cargo container system which comprises a unique and novel bulk material cargo container inflatable liner system which, in turn, comprises a plurality of inflatable air bags integrally incorporated therein, whereby when such inflatable air bags are inflated in accordance with a unique and novel method characteristic of the present invention, the bulk material cargo load disposed within the bulk material cargo container can be discharged and unloaded from the bulk material cargo container without requiring the tilting of the bulk material cargo container, and in addition, the bulk material cargo load can be stored within the bulk material cargo container which will serve as a bulk material storage silo whereby relatively medium-sized and small-sized companies can enjoy the ecomonic advantages to be derived from bulk material cargo load transportion, handling, and distribution systems such that the relatively medium-sized and small-sized companies can in fact viably compete economically with the relatively large-sized companies.
The foregoing and other objectives are achieved in accordance with the teachings and principles of the present invention through the provision of a new and improved bulk material cargo container system which comprises an inflatable bulk material cargo container liner which has a plurality of inflatable air bags integrally incorporated therein. The inflatable air bags have substantially right triangular configurations when disposed in their inflated states such that hypotenuse portions of the inflatable air bags are inclined with respect to the bottom or lower surface portion of the bulk material cargo container liner. In this manner, when the inflatable air bags are inflated in accordance with a predetermined sequential operation, the bulk material cargo load can be discharged or unloaded from the bulk material cargo container liner without the need for tilting the bulk material cargo container and the liner contained therein. In addition, the bulk material cargo container, having the new and improved bulk material cargo container liner disposed therein, can be used as a silo or storage facility for the bulk cargo load material, and in accordance with predetermined degrees to which the inflatable air bags can be inflated, the bulk cargo load material can be dispensed, discharged, or unloaded as desired or required.